temperamental

adjective

ˌtem-p(ə-)rə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce temperamental (audio)
Definition of temperamentalnext
1
as in moody
frequently influenced by moods and especially bad moods one of those temperamental actresses who can make life difficult for everyone around her

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly stock prices have been pretty temperamental lately, often fluctuating wildly

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of temperamental The guest rooms felt dated, the vintage plumbing was temperamental, and the noisy window air-conditioning units distracted from the historic charm. — Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 11 July 2026 Your 3rd House of Communication is stirred by the temperamental Moon, while the life-giving Sun boosts your 7th House of Partnership, aligning words with steady commitments. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026 All the while, the solar panel sat off to one side against the car, topping up the power in dribs and drabs as the temperamental Melbourne weather allowed. — Mike McRae 04, New Atlas, 5 July 2026 But the temperamental Lanza dropped out after recording his songs, and British actor Edmund Purdom acted his role and mouthed the songs. — ABC News, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for temperamental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temperamental
  1. moody
  2. volatile
  3. impulsive
  4. unpredictable
  5. unstable
Adjective
  • The group, which also includes Bret Domrose and Robert Mailhouse, offered a moody rendition of the rock number, off their 2026 LP All in Now.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Improvements included painting the cabinets a moody Benjamin Moore Crownsville Gray, building a custom oak butcher block, and installing a striking custom brass backsplash behind the range.
    — Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of moody
Adjective
  • Back in the early 1980s, amid a volatile chicken market, McDonald’s needed help pricing their nuggets and limiting the risk of menu price fluctuations.
    — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Historically, memory has been a volatile, highly cyclical industry.
    — Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of volatile
Adjective
  • But as with any James Gray film, there are life-altering consequences on the other side of impulsive decision-making for the sake of the American dream.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That pause may stop an impulsive post from growing into a much bigger problem.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of impulsive
Adjective
  • Some have been Ukrainian drones knocked off course by Russian electronic warfare, such as the jamming of navigation signals, which can make their flight paths unpredictable and complicate decisions about whether and where to shoot them down.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Carefully evaluate both options, then, before making a final decision and don't discount the advantages of splitting your funds between both account types, which may be your best recourse in today's still uneven and unpredictable economic terrain.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of unpredictable
Adjective
  • No one sees exactly what happened, and the only witness, a mentally unstable man, gives conflicting accounts that deepen the uncertainty.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Events plod forward, one after the other, and although Michael Shaeffer is a thoroughly compelling presence as the cruel and chronically unstable monarch Aerys, other performances seem nuance-free.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unstable

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Cite this Entry

“Temperamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temperamental. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on temperamental

Nglish: Translation of temperamental for Spanish Speakers

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